Contents consignment sale system and method for networking broadcasting

ABSTRACT

An Internet broadcasting contents consignment sale system and method. An Internet broadcasting station makes a consignment sale contract with companies or individuals who have copyrights of authored pieces, such as computer and video game makers, filmmakers, music producers, television broadcasting stations, and publishers; generates the consigned authored pieces into specific contents data; allows users to use the contents data only through a specific execution program provided by the Internet broadcasting station; permits Internet users to download the contents via wire and wireless Internet free of charge and keep them; and allows the users to use desired contents data by receiving restoration information on the Internet.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application is based on Korea Patent Application No.2001-34363 filed on Jun. 18, 2001 in the Korean Intellectual PropertyOffice, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] (a) Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a contents consignment salesystem and method for Internet broadcasting. More specifically, thepresent invention relates to a contents consignment sale system andmethod for Internet broadcasting for receiving sales consignments onauthored pieces from authors who have programs available for Internetbroadcasting, converting the pieces into a predetermined contents dataformat, providing them to Internet users so that they may select andstore desired contents in HDDs (hard disk drives), CDs (compact disks),or DVDs (digital versatile disks) according to their interests, andallowing the users to use the contents through an exclusive executionprogram. When a user desires to use the contents through the exclusiveexecution program, the system and method enable the user to receivepermission from an Internet broadcasting station and acquire restorationinformation corresponding to the contents through the Internet, so thatthe user may use the authored pieces.

[0004] (b) Description of the Related Art

[0005] Various categories of contents have been provided to users as theInternet has been recently developed, and the field with the most growthlatency among them is the entertainment industry, with the biggestmarket and the biggest growth potential thereof being the music andmovie industry.

[0006] Not long ago, Internet broadcasting stations provided smallmoving picture services such as with the film size of 56K, and ashigh-speed Internet has recently been popularized they have attempted toprovide high-quality moving pictures with sizes such as about 300K or500K. The picture quality, however, is worse than that of the DVD, andthe image and sound qualities are worse than those of generalvideotapes.

[0007] When many users concurrently use the moving pictures at the sametime, the Internet performance speed becomes slower so that the movingpictures are stopped, the sound may howl, and signals may sometimes beinterrupted, thereby causing inconvenience to the user.

[0008] In particular, attempting to start a VOD (video on demand)business for receiving fees is problematic, because the current Internettransmission speed and services cannot satisfy the users.

[0009] The reason for this is that the moving pictures available on theInternet are very inferior to DVDs and videotapes, and off-line serviceproviders already provide stereo and hi-fi videotapes and DVDs so thatusers may enjoy movies and music videos with high-quality images andsound data at any time they desire. Therefore, on-line movie rentalservices are not yet developed.

[0010] To activate a VOD business, service providers must providehigh-quality image and sound services that are much better than thehi-fi stereo videotapes and equivalent to the qualities of the DVDs,compared to the conventional moving picture services of 300K or 500Kcurrently being provided by the Internet broadcasting stations.

[0011] Nowadays, cellular phones and PDA's enabling wireless Internetservices are on the market, and in the near future, multimedia terminalscapable of wireless Internet will be commonly installed in cars.

[0012] In America, more than one million cars with multimedia terminalshave been sold, but the speed of the current wireless Internet serviceis much slower than that of the wire Internet service, and inparticular, the Internet speed becomes further slower and the Internetis often disconnected because of the unstable state of wireless radiowaves when the car is moving.

[0013] Cell phones, PDAs, and vehicular multimedia terminals forproviding the wireless Internet service for providing high-qualitymoving pictures with quality images and sound data in fast moving carshave not yet been properly developed, but the wireless Internet servicesare involved in the very initial steps by providing such things as anelectronic mail service and stock news, mainly for text communicationwith small data size, and wireless Internet terminals are currentlybeing sold.

[0014] The user does not have much difficulty in using general textinformation such as email, stock information, or news on the wirelessInternet while the user is moving, but in the case of attempting toreceive a moving picture service, it is required that the mobile stationdoes not move at all but remains at a single place, or it may be movedat the slow speed of a person's normal walking. Currently, it is stilldifficult for the user to receive high-quality image and sound services.

[0015] Further, the wireless Internet tends to have frequentinterference by radio waves generated by various electronic homeappliances such as radios, TVs, computers or cell phones, as well ascables, and the radio waves may not easily propagate into a room in abuilding. Even when the radio waves enter a room, they may be easilyreflected by a metallic desk or a concrete wall to generate variousproblems, and hence it is more difficult for the user to use thewireless Internet than the wire Internet, and the speed of the wirelessInternet is slower than that of the wire Internet. In addition, in somecases, the user may not be able to use the wireless Internet at all in abasement.

[0016] The communication speed when the mobile station remainsmotionless may be faster according to the development of communicationdevices, but the above-noted problems may not be completely solvedbecause of the characteristics of the radio waves.

[0017] In particular, in the case the user uses the wireless Internetmultimedia terminal in a fast running car, since the multimedia terminalcannot fully receive the radio waves while the car is running fast, thedata transmission speed is greatly reduced. When the car passes througha tunnel or is on a street with many high buildings, turns around amountain, goes through a low place, or passes between concrete walls, orwhen another car or a motorcycle passes closely by the car, there issubstantial radio wave interference so that the user cannot receivevarious moving picture services such as quality movies, dramas, or musicvideos in the running car.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0018] It is an object of the present invention to provide an Internetbroadcasting contents consignment sale system and method for receivingvarious authored pieces from authors as consignment, converting theminto specific contents data, allowing users to either freely downloadand save them or freely transmit the data to each other through areproduction process or the Internet, and enabling an Internetbroadcasting station to exhaustively and thoroughly control the users'using the contents so that they may use the corresponding authoredpieces with advertisements or for a fee.

[0019] It is another object of the present invention for high-speedInternet users as well as low-speed Internet users to use high-qualitymoving picture contents of premium image and sound data through anInternet broadcasting station according to the present invention.

[0020] It is still another object of the present invention to implementmultimedia functions of quality image and sound through the wirelessInternet in a fast running vehicle without interference of instabilityof wireless signals or interruption of signals under bad wirelessInternet environments, wherein the Internet transmission speed isseverely reduced and signals are frequently interrupted by the user'smotion because of unstable states of wireless radio waves, andaccordingly the user can only receive a moving picture service when heremains still or walks very slowly.

[0021] In one aspect of the present invention, a network-broadcastingcontents consignment sale system connected to authors for receiving aplurality of authored pieces and providing the authored pieces to userterminals, comprises: a contents data management server for converting acontents data structure of the authored pieces into a predeterminedformat, transmitting converted data to the user terminal, and generatingrestoration information for restoring the converted data structure; adata storage unit for storing restoration information for restoring theconverted contents data; and a free-of-charge contents provider forproviding the converted contents data to the user terminal through anetwork or a free-of-charge distributor, and wherein the contents datamanagement server transmits the restoration information stored in thedata storage unit to the user terminal when the user terminal accessesthe contents data management server so that the contents data stored inthe user terminal are restored to original contents data and areexecuted.

[0022] The restoration information resides in the user terminal's RAM(or it is temporarily stored in a HDD depending on the contents), andthe restoration information restores the converted contents data storedin the user terminal into the contents data of before conversion so thatthe user may use the contents data, and when the restoration informationfinishes all tasks, the restoration information is automatically andimmediately deleted from the RAM or the HDD.

[0023] In another aspect of the present invention, in anetwork-broadcasting contents consignment sale system for transmitting aplurality of contents data to a user terminal connected on the network,recording the contents data on recording media including CD-ROMs orDVD-ROMs, distributing the contents data free of charge, and controllingusers' using the contents data to obtain predetermined use fees from theusers, a network-broadcasting contents consignment sale methodcomprises: converting the contents data's structure, separatelygenerating restoration information (which selectively includes importantdata, editing codes, and numerical values, depending on the categoriesof the contents), and storing the restoration information for executingthe converted contents data; transmitting the contents data having theconverted data structure to the user terminal via the network orrecording the contents data on various recording media including CD-ROMsor DVD-ROMs and distributing them to the user free of charge, when atransmission request on the contents data is input from the userterminal; and

[0024] transmitting restoration information (which selectively includesimportant data, editing codes, and numerical values, depending on thecategories of the contents) that corresponds to the contents data towhich a use allowance request is input, to the user terminal so that theuser may use the corresponding contents when the use allowance requestfor the contents data having the converted data structure is input fromthe user terminal.

[0025] The method further comprises transmitting advertisement data andthe restoration information to the user terminal, and operating the userterminal to execute the contents and the advertisements, when the userselects to view the contents and the advertisements without paying theuse fee of the contents data.

[0026] In the case of unifying a plurality of network broadcastingstations into a single relay broadcasting system, a plurality of networkbroadcasting stations are combined into a single huge networkbroadcasting station, and each network broadcasting station is appliedas a single data storage unit. A relay broadcasting station isconfigured to manage all the members and uses in an integrated manner,and network users all over the world may use various contents providedby a plurality of member network broadcasting stations through a singlemembership entrance and perform fee settlement at a single homepage ofthe relay broadcasting station.

[0027] The relay broadcasting station provides technical support and useallowance for managing the above-noted relay broadcasting system, and itmay receive technical use fees from the network broadcasting stationsthat provide the contents, and use fees for the specific executionprogram from the users (members).

[0028] The relay broadcasting station provides the network broadcastingtechnique supports according to the present invention to a plurality ofnetwork broadcasting stations to allow the network broadcasting stationsof FIG. 2 to directly manage the network broadcasting, and to allow theusers to use the specific execution program of FIG. 3. The userregisters for a membership entrance of the relay broadcasting station soas to use and install a specific execution program, and when the useroperates the specific execution program, a user terminal initiallyaccesses the relay broadcasting station on the network to check whetherthe user is a registered member who has previously paid the membershipfee, and if so, the user terminal receives a use allowance on thespecific execution program to allow the user to access the networkbroadcasting station. The relay broadcasting station manages membershipof the users who use the specific execution program, and the relaybroadcasting station receives a predetermined amount of money from thenetwork broadcasting stations as broadcasting technical commissions eachmonth, and receives a predetermined amount of use fees from the users(members) each month to issue a program use allowance on the network, orreceives broadcasting technical commissions and program use fees fromthe network broadcasting stations and the users.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in andconstitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of theinvention, and, together with the description, serve to explain theprinciples of the invention:

[0030]FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a contents consignment sale systemaccording to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0031]FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of an Internet broadcasting systemaccording to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0032]FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of a specific execution program accordingto a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0033]FIG. 4 shows a table for restoration information transmitted to auser terminal; and

[0034]FIG. 5 shows a relay broadcasting system according to a preferredembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0035] In the following detailed description, only the preferredembodiment of the invention has been shown and described, simply by wayof illustration of the best mode contemplated by the inventor(s) ofcarrying out the invention. As will be realized, the invention iscapable of modification in various obvious respects, all withoutdeparting from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptionare to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not restrictive.

[0036] First, contents data provided on-line and off-line by an Internetbroadcasting station will be described.

[0037] The fast Internet contents data that netizens who use the wire orwireless fast Internet download on the Internet free of charge andwithout restriction and transmit to their friends on the Internet orthrough reproduction on a compact disc (CD), in other words, all kindsof entertainment data including movies, dramas, music videos, comics,children's picture stories, photos and photo albums, novels, andcomputer and video games, are generated as follows.

[0038] Moving picture data such as movies or music videos operate at 25frames per second, that is, about 25 continuous pictures are shown foreach second of broadcast time. Comics, children's picture stories,novels, and photos and picture albums do not have continuous pictures,differing from the general moving pictures, but have still pictures orone-page texts for each page.

[0039] Hence, the present invention does not make comics, children'spicture stories, and novels into still image data, but into a movingpicture data file format of 25 frames per second or 10 to 2 frames persecond (in this instance, the number of the frames may be varied.)

[0040] For example, in the case of making one-page comics into one frameof moving picture data, 500-page comics are made into 500-frame movingpicture data. In other words, when the 500-page comics are made intomoving pictures of 25 frames per second, they will be 20-second movingpicture data, and if they are made into moving pictures of 2 frames persecond, they will be about 250-second moving picture data.

[0041] In addition to the above-noted method, the comics, the novels,and the children's picture stories may be made into still image datamaintaining the original format. In this instance, the contents may beused by scrambling the sequential order of the still image data togenerate editing codes, by modifying numerical values of a predeterminedportion of a picture data that configures a single still image, or byseparating a portion of data from the picture data file to generaterestoration information and allowing the user to receive the restorationinformation on-line and combine it with the converted contents data togenerate the contents of before conversion.

[0042] When the comics, children's picture stories, novels, and photosand picture albums of a still image format are converted into movingpicture files, the user is required to use the contents data frame byframe instead of executing the contents at 25 frames per second or 2frames per second, that is, executing the contents in 20 or 250 secondsonce in the like manner of execution of the general moving pictures.

[0043] Audio data may be stored in the children's picture stories,novels, comics, and photos and photo albums to output descriptions ornarrative on the picture histories.

[0044] When attempting to make the moving picture programs such asmovies, music videos, dramas, comics, photos and picture albums, andnovels into specific contents data, an important portion is separatedfrom the program data to form “an important data,” and the remainingdata are divided into dozens to thousands of units and scrambled in arandom order to generate the “editing codes,” and the format of the datafiles is converted into various formats so that the data files may notbe executed through general programs.

[0045] It is desirable to modify the format of the various contents notby a single method but in many different ways for the respectivecontents so as to prevent attacks by hackers. The specific executionprogram provided by the Internet broadcasting station may use all theabove-noted converted formats.

[0046] In a different method, a single program is divided into dozens tothousands of units, the divided units are scrambled in a random order togenerate editing codes, predetermined portions are separated from therespective units to generate “an important data,” and the formats of thedata files are modified to become different each other.

[0047] The important data may include a predetermined portion of thecontents, for example, a portion of the data of about 0.2 to 3 secondrunning time from the data having the total running time of 10 seconds,or it may include a portion of the actual data that forms audio signalsor image signals.

[0048] In any of the above-described methods, if the separated data arenot combined with the remaining data, the converted contents data areincomplete, and hence the contents data are not executed through anyexecution program, and if combined, the converted contents data becomethe original data, that is, the contents data of before conversion.

[0049] It is required for the specific execution program to receive theseparated important data as restoration information that may be easilycombined, and when converting the converted contents data into theoriginal format and executing the same at the user terminal, it isrequired for the specific execution program to convert the contents datainto those of before conversion and execute them with no damage to theimage and sound qualities.

[0050] The formats of the contents data may be modified in many ways,and it is important to completely prevent the Internet users from usingprivate programs or public programs for illegally using the contentsdata, instead of using the specific execution program provided by theInternet broadcasting station according to the present invention.

[0051] Predetermined numerical values are applied to the various datavalues of the contents data to convert the data. The data include audiosignals, image signals, and programs (in the case of video games orcomputer games), and it is important to convert the contents data, allowno user to use the contents data normally if the converted contents dataare not converted into the original format, and completely restore thecontents data into those of before conversion using the restorationinformation.

[0052] In order to download various categories of contents data to theterminal on the Internet and execute them when they are stored in theterminal, the user uses the specific execution program to access thebroadcasting station according to the present invention, obtain a useallowance, determine whether to pay a use fee or view the contentstogether with advertisements, and additionally receive restorationinformation (including editing codes, numerical values, and importantdata) for restoring the contents data structure. In this case, the userreceives one, two, or three kinds of the above-noted restorationinformation depending on the categories of the contents.

[0053] When attempting to view the contents together with theadvertisements without paying the use fee, the user receives therestoration information and customized advertisement data to view theadvertisements and the contents together.

[0054] The important data in the restoration information may be a singleunit, but it is more desirable for the important data to include aplurality of small data so as to increase effects of preventingreproduction.

[0055] For example, when moving picture data of a total of 90 minutesare divided into 540 units, the running time of each unit is about 10seconds, and in this instance, the running time of one unit may be 8.12seconds in one case and it may be 11.84 seconds in another case. Asdescribed, the running time of each unit is randomly generated withinplus or minus 20 to 30%, and the important data are preferably generatedby separating the data that correspond to the amount of about 0.2 to 3seconds for each data of 10-second running time.

[0056] Hence, the specific execution program initially executes thecontents data downloaded to the user terminal, and concurrently receivesthe important data via the Internet to temporarily store them in a RAM,and when a corresponding order comes, the specific execution programsupplements the contents data with the important data to execute thesupplemented contents data, then automatically deletes the importantdata from the RAM.I It previously receives important data of asubsequent order and stores them in the RAM, and when the correspondingorder comes, it supplements the important data of the subsequent orderto the contents data to execute the supplemented contents data. Inaddition, about 1 to 15 frames per 40 to 60 frames are separated as theimportant data for later use, and further modified methods may be usedaccording to the present invention.

[0057] When the specific execution program is executed, the userterminal obtains a use allowance, immediately receives the editing codesand the numerical values on-line, stores them in the RAM, receivesimportant data to be supplemented, stores them in the RAM, supplementsthe important data to the contents data to execute them in the properorder, and deletes the important data from the RAM, and in this case,the categories and number of the restoration information (editing codes,numerical values, and important data) may be varied according to thecategories of the contents.

[0058] When the amount of the important data is too big to betemporarily stored in the, RAM, the user terminal randomly selects adesired directory from a program that has many directories such asWindows programs or another desired one, converts the important datainto a hidden file format, temporarily stores the same in theabove-noted directory, shows them to the user when its proper ordercomes, and immediately deletes the important data from the correspondingdirectory.

[0059] For further detailed description, the user terminal randomlystores the important data in any place and without any predeterminedorder and deletes them after use, and it previously receives firstimportant data, temporarily stores them in the HDD, and executes thespecific execution program to show the important data to the user, andthen deletes the shown important data from the HDD.I It subsequentlyreceives second important data, temporarily stores them in the HDD,shows them in the appropriate order, and deletes them, so that the usermay not easily find the data and reproduce the same.

[0060] What is important in this case is that the important datapreferably reside in the RAM and are deleted in the default manner, andwhen the amount of the important data of the contents used by the useris too big to be temporarily stored in the RAM and must accordingly betemporarily stored in the HDD, it is shown to the user in itsappropriate order and then deleted. Various kinds of restorationinformation including the contents data, the important data, the editingcodes, and the numerical values currently used by the user are not toconcurrently reside in the user terminal for more than 0.001 second, andtherefore, it is required to divide the important data into many units.

[0061] In addition, programmers may modify the important data accordingto corresponding environments in many ways.

[0062] What matters here is that the Internet broadcasting stations areto produce and manage the contents data so that the user may executethem when the user receives restoration information on-line, in orderfor the Internet broadcasting stations to perfectly control the usersall over the world.

[0063] Second, in order for wire and wireless low-speed Internet usersto freely use the contents data, the Internet broadcasting stationsaccording to the present invention produce the contents data fortelephone modem users and low-speed Internet users, as follows.

[0064] The data that form a program are divided into dozens to thousandsof units, the units are scrambled in a random order, and the format ofthe data files is converted into an individual one. In this instance,the contents data are converted by applying a predetermined numericalvalue to the data values (including still image data and moving picturedata), and this process may be possible or not depending on thecontents.

[0065] It is desirable to allow no one to normally use the contents datawithout permission except when any user purposely damages the convertedaudio or image signals to convert them back into the original format.

[0066] To make the important data have a lesser size and better effects,a very small portion of the data that correspond to either or both ofthe image signals and the audio signals are separated to make them theimportant data.

[0067] Therefore, when attempting to use the contents data, the usersuse the specific execution program to access the Internet broadcastingstation according to the present invention, checks membership status toobtain a use allowance, and determines whether to pay a use fee or viewthe contents data together with the advertisements. In this instance,the user is also required to receive the important data, the editingcodes, and the numerical values for restoring the contents datastructure. When desiring to view the advertisements instead of payingthe use fee, the user is required to receive corresponding advertisementdata. Here, the restoration information includes one, two, or all of theimportant data, the editing codes, and the numerical values depending onthe contents. As the categories of the restoration information increase,the function for protecting the contents data from hackers becomesbetter.

[0068] The Internet broadcasting station according to the presentinvention records various contents data produced through a predeterminedmethod on various recording media such as CD-ROMs, CD-RWs, DVD-ROMs, andDVD-RWs, and distributes them free of charge for promotion so that manyusers may easily use them. The Internet broadcasting station also allowsand promotes any kind of unauthorized reproduction of the contents dataso that the users may reproduce the contents free of charge and sharethem with their friends without authorization

[0069] The Internet broadcasting station uploads high-speed Internetcontents data and low-speed Internet contents data so that the low-speedInternet users may also request their high-speed-Internet-using friendsto download various contents data for them, and thereby keep thecontents data freely. The high-speed Internet users may use bothhigh-speed Internet contents data and low-speed Internet contents data.

[0070] Third, in order for the high-speed and low-speed wire andwireless Internet users to freely download and use various computer andvideo games, and personal and business programs, the Internetbroadcasting station according to the present invention generatesvarious programs, as follows.

[0071] A predetermined portion without which the program may not operateis separated from the program, or predetermined numerical values of datain the program are changed so that the program may not operate without ause allowance provided by the Internet broadcasting station. Therefore,to normally operate the program, it is required that dozens to hundredsof numerical values such as secret codes be supplemented, or that theseparated portion of the program be supplemented.

[0072] The program may be designed to operate when the numerical valuesor the separated portion is supplemented, or preferably when both thenumerical values and the separated portion are supplemented. Theabove-noted game or business programs are designed to start theiroperation only with the specific execution program provided by theInternet broadcasting station according to the present invention, andthe users are allowed to freely download the game programs and thebusiness programs produced through a specific method and keep them.

[0073] The Internet broadcasting station according to the presentinvention records the business and game programs on various recordingmedia such as CD-ROMs and DVD-ROMs, and distributes them to many usersfree of charge. The Internet broadcasting station allows and promotesthe unauthorized reproduction of the programs so that the business andgame programs may be stored in the HDDs, the CD-ROMs, and the DVD-ROMsof the user terminals.

[0074] Accordingly, when attempting to use the game and businessprograms, the user is required to use the specific execution program toaccess the Internet broadcasting station, check membership status,obtain a use allowance, determine whether to pay a use fee or viewadvertisements together with contents, and receive on-line one or bothpredetermined numerical values of data for restoring the convertedprogram structure of the game programs and the business programs and aportion of the program, and when the user determines to view theadvertisements without paying the use fee, additionally receive theadvertisement data to view the advertisement data together with the gameprogram or the business program.

[0075] In the process for generating restoration information, it isrequired to apply no routine to the process when dividing the contentsdata into a plurality of units and scrambling them to generate theediting codes, when separating the important data from the contents dataand when modifying the numerical values. Namely, by differentiating therestoration information and the numerical values for the respectivecontents data, attacks by hackers who attempt to solve the convertedcontents data will be blocked.

[0076]FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a contents consignment sale systemfor Internet broadcasting according to a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention.

[0077] An operation of the contents consignment sale system will now bedescribed.

[0078] First, the Internet broadcasting station 30 enters into a saleconsignment contract 20 with the authors 10 and 15, and converts theirauthored pieces into specific contents data.

[0079] The Internet broadcasting station 30 allows many users to freelydownload or receive the contents data wirelessly or through the wireInternet 50.

[0080] The Internet broadcasting station 30 also saves the specificcontents data on recording media such as CD-ROMs and DVD-ROMs 40, andfreely distributes them to places where many Internet users gather suchas computer shops, computer program shops, or computer book stores.

[0081] Further, the Internet broadcasting station 30 exceptionally andaggressively allows the users to reproduce the specific contents datafreely distributed on the Internet and the CD-ROMs without formalpermission 80 by the Internet broadcasting station 30, and promotesunauthorized reproduction 80 (transmitting and receiving data throughreproduction of CDs, DVDs, the Internet, etc.) so that the users mayreproduce the specific contents and share them with friends.

[0082] Also, the Internet broadcasting station 30 uploads contents dataand specific execution programs to the shared file directory 95 at anytime so that the many Internet users may use them freely andconveniently, and accordingly stores as much contents data in their HDDsas possible.

[0083] When the user attempts to use the contents, a use condition 60 isrequired. That is, the user must either pay for the contents or view acustomized advertisement sent by the Internet broadcasting station 30together with the contents. If not, the contents may not be used. Inorder to execute this complete control, the Internet broadcastingstation 30 converts the various programs provided by the authors intospecific contents data that the users may only use through a specificexecution program.

[0084] The authors are classified into several categories. The firstauthor 15 owns the first author's server, and the first author convertsvarious programs possessed by the first author into specific data usingthe technique according to the present invention, and directly providesthe converted data to users through the Internet 50.

[0085] However, when the user uses the contents data, it is required fora user terminal to receive restoration information on the Internet 50.The first author stores restoration information in a data storage unitof the Internet broadcasting station 30, and when the user executes aspecific execution program, the first author allows the user terminal toautomatically access the Internet broadcasting station 30 so as toobtain restoration information.

[0086] In order for the many users to use the author's programs and toget more profit, the first author stores the contents data on variousrecording media including CD-ROMs and DVD-ROMs 40 and distributes themfree of charge.

[0087] Also, the first author uploads the contents data and the specificexecution programs to well-known portal sites' shared file directories95 frequently to make them public so that many users may easily obtaindesired contents data.

[0088] The first author mostly includes big companies such as moviecompanies, television broadcasting stations, and huge publishers ratherthan individuals.

[0089] The second author 10 mainly includes small companies orindividuals who possess many authored pieces, and the second author 10does not directly provide the contents data to the users, but uses theserver of the Internet broadcasting station 30.

[0090] In the case of the first and second authors 15 and 10, the firstfee and advertisement profit manager 199 of FIG. 2 of the Internetbroadcasting station controls the computers of the first and secondauthors 15 and 10 in real-time so that the authors may monitor thecategories and the frequency of use of the contents used by the users,and so they may know how much in fees and advertisement profits aredeposited, in real-time.

[0091] Further, the first fee and advertisement profit manager 199supports the authors to check the programs' popularity, that is, thefrequency of use, with graphs for each time and day so that the authorsmay refer to them for publicity campaigns and program production andplanning, and produce better programs with reference to them.

[0092] The third author 18 generally includes very small companies orindividuals who have several programs, and in this case, the thirdauthor sells the programs possessed by the third author to the Internetbroadcasting station by one-time allowance or by installment.

[0093] In certain cases, some companies or individuals may provide theirprograms free of charge so as to widely promote or propagate theirworks. For example, singers frequently release their music videos so asto publicize their songs.

[0094]FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of an Internet broadcasting contentsconsignment sale system (in other words, an Internet broadcastingstation) according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0095] The Internet broadcasting station 200 is connected to a userterminal 100 and a contents provider 300 through the Internet 110.

[0096] The Internet broadcasting station 200 comprises: a first webserver 130; a first CD and DVD producer 140; a program manager 150; anadvertisement data manager 160; a member and use information manager170; a program and advertisement data producer 198; a first fee andadvertisement profit manager 199; a contents data management server 180;and a data storage unit 190.

[0097] The contents provider 300 comprises: a second web server 310; acontents data manager 320; a second contents database 330; a second CDand DVD producer 335; and a second fee and advertisement profit manager340.

[0098] The first web server 130 performs a web access function for aplurality of user terminals 100 to access the contents provider 300through the Internet 110, and it transmits various contents data,corresponding restoration information, and specific execution programsprovided by the Internet broadcasting station 200 to the user terminal100.

[0099] The program manager 150 provides a specific execution program tothe user terminal 100. The specific execution program is needed forusing the contents when the users desire to do so after they freelydownload various contents data such as movies, music videos, comics, andnovels that are produced in a specific manner to their computers fromthe Internet broadcasting station, to collect them and store them.

[0100] In order to use the contents data, users all over the worldregister themselves to the Internet broadcasting stations, download thespecific execution program to their computer 100, and install the same.

[0101] When the user attempts to use the downloaded contents data, it isrequired for the user either to pay the fee for using the contents or toview the advertisement together with the contents, and when the useraccordingly selects to view the advertisement together with the contentswithout paying the fee, the advertisement data manager 160 transmits acustomized advertisement that creates the best advertisement impacts tothe user terminal 100 using member information.

[0102] In this instance, since the customized advertisement is wellknown to persons skilled in the art, no corresponding description willbe provided. In some cases, the user is required to pay a predeterminedfee depending on the categories of the contents such as new-releasemovies and recent music videos.

[0103] The member and use information manager 170 manages all kinds ofmember information provided when the Internet users register on theInternet broadcasting station, and manages the categories of thecontents data downloaded by the members, the frequencies of use on thecontents data, categories and frequencies of use of the advertisementdata viewed by the members, and fee history for each time and date.

[0104] The contents data management server 180 comprises: an importantdata manager 181 for separating an important portion from the contentsdata, and transmitting the important portion as restoration information;an editing code manager 182 for generating editing codes of the contentsdata, and transmitting the editing codes as restoration information tothe user terminal 100; a numerical value manager 183 for converting thenumerical values of the contents, and transmitting the numerical valuesfor restoring the converted numerical values into an original format asrestoration information to the user terminal 100; a contents dataconverter 184 for converting various programs (or contents) consigned bythe authors into specific contents data, and transmitting them to theuser terminal 100; and a contents introducer 185 for generatingdescriptions of the contents, transmitting the descriptions to the userterminal as restoration information, and when a request for transmittingthe contents data or a request for using them is provided by the userterminal 100, enabling the user terminal to receive the requestedcontents data and corresponding restoration information.

[0105] The data storage unit 190 comprises: a program database 191 forstoring specific execution programs; an advertisement database 192 forstoring various advertisement data; a member and use informationdatabase 193 for storing member and use information; an important datadatabase 194 for storing important data; an editing code database 195for storing editing codes; a numerical value database 196 for storingnumerical values; a contents data database 197 for storing the convertedcontents data; and a contents database 185-1 for storing descriptiondata for introducing the contents data, and storing restorationinformation corresponding to the contents data.

[0106] The program and advertisement data producer 198 produces aspecific execution program and various advertisement data and uploadsthem to the program database 191 and the advertisement data database192.

[0107] The first fee and advertisement profit manager 199 calculates allnecessary items in real-time such as date, time, number of times, andwhat categories of the contents data the user uses, how much the userpays for the corresponding fee, how many times and what advertisementthe user views, how much advertisement income and use fees aregenerated, and how much the total profit is. The first fee andadvertisement profit manager 199 controls computers of the contentsproviders 300 and analyzes in detail how much earnings are generatedafter the prior settlement up to the present state, and notifies thesecond fee and advertisement profit manager 340 of analysis results inreal-time.

[0108] The CD and DVD producer 140 records promotional contents data onCD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, and other huge-volume recording media so that theInternet broadcasting station may lead more users to utilize thecontents data.

[0109] The free-of-charge distributor 120 includes computer shops,software shops, or computer bookstores where the Internet users may getCD-ROMs or DVD-ROMs that contain the above-noted contents data free ofcharge.

[0110] The contents provider 300 comprises a second web server 310, acontents data manager 320, a second contents database 330, a second CDand DVD producer 335, and a second fee and advertisement profit manager340.

[0111] The second web server 310 allows the user terminals 100 of theInternet users all around the world to access the contents provider viathe Internet 110.

[0112] The contents data manager 320 transmits the contents dataprovided by the contents provider to the user terminal 100.

[0113] The second contents database 330 stores great volumes of contentsdata that the users may download to their computers on the Internet oracquire them through recording media such as CD-ROMs or DVD-ROMs.

[0114] The second CD and DVD producer 335 records on the recording mediathe contents data that are provided to the users for the promotionalpurpose through the free-of-charge distributor 120.

[0115] The second fee and advertisement profit manager 340 receivessignal data from the first fee and advertisement profit manager 199 ofthe Internet broadcasting station 200, and allows the contents providerto monitor how much earnings are gained, what contents and how manytimes the users use, how much in fees the users pay for viewing thecontents, how many users view the advertisements and use the contents,and the users' frequencies of use on the respective contents by time andby date.

[0116] The user terminal 100 includes: a notebook computer or a desktopcomputer used for homes, offices, factories, and schools; a servercomputer supporting wire or wireless Internet; a wireless Internetportable phone terminal; a wireless Internet PDA terminal; and awireless Internet multimedia terminal (a transformation of a personalcomputer) installed in a car.

[0117] An operation of the specific execution program in the Internetbroadcasting contents consignment sale system (referred to as anInternet broadcasting station hereinafter) will now be described withreference to FIG. 3.

[0118] First, the user downloads various desired contents data providedby the Internet broadcasting station 200, the contents provider 300, thefree-of-charge distributor 120, or friends to an HDD of the user'sterminal 100, receives the contents data from them via CD-ROMs, orreproduces them to save them in the HDD of the user's terminal 100.

[0119] When attempting to use the contents data downloaded from theInternet broadcasting station, the user receives a specific executionprogram and installs the same in the user terminal 100.

[0120] When the specific execution program is performed in the user'sterminal 100 in step S500, a CPU (central processing unit) of the usercomputer initially checks a connection state to the Internet in stepS510.

[0121] When the Internet is not connected, the user terminal 100 issuesa first warning to access the Internet in step S520, and terminates thecurrent task in step S650.

[0122] In this instance, when it is connected, the user computeraccesses the Internet broadcasting station 200 in step S530.

[0123] Next, the user selects whether to execute the previouslydownloaded and stored contents data or to download new contents data instep S540.

[0124] Here, if the CPU of the user terminal 100 has a very fastprocessing speed and the Internet has a very fast transmission speed,the user may select both methods at the same time, but in the presentembodiment, the user is assumed to select one of them.

[0125] Initially, in order to execute the downloaded contents data, theuser selects the option of contents execution.

[0126] The user selects desired contents from among the contents datadownloaded and stored in the HDD, or transmitted through the CD-ROMs orthe DVD-ROMs in step S550.

[0127] The operation of the user terminal 100 when the user attempts toselect desired contents will now be described.

[0128] Each time the user clicks the title of the contents data storedin the HDD, the CD-ROM, or the DVD-ROM, the user terminal 100 receivesdata corresponding to descriptions of the contents data from thecontents introducer 185 of the Internet broadcasting station in stepS560, and displays a brief description together with images of importantscenes. Therefore, the user refers to them to select desired contentsdata by clicking a mouse button twice.

[0129] When the user inputs an ID and a password that are provided tothe user when the user performs the membership entrance, the member anduse information manager 170 performs a use-allowance process to findwhether the user is a registered person in step S570.

[0130] When the user's membership is confirmed, the user terminal 100searches data of the restoration information corresponding to thecontents data selected by the user from the contents introducer 185, andreceives corresponding restoration information from the contents datamanagement server 180 in step S580.

[0131] The actual restoration information includes editing codes,numerical values, and important portion data, and it may include one,two or all of them according to categories of the contents, and it ispreferable to use all of them so as to prevent hacking.

[0132] The member and use information manager 170 asks a settlementmethod of the user when the user terminal 100 receives the restorationinformation. That is, the member and use information manager 170provides the user with options such as paying the fee through a creditcard or other methods, and viewing the contents together withadvertisements.

[0133] In this instance, when the user selects the option of viewing thecontents together with advertisements, the advertisement data manager160 transmits the restoration information including the advertisementdata to the user terminal 100, and the user terminal 100 receives themand stores them in the HDD.

[0134] It is preferable to temporarily store other restorationinformation except the advertisement data and the contents data not inthe HDD but in a RAM so as to immediately and automatically delete themafter use.

[0135] When the corresponding settlement is finished, the user terminal100 receives the restoration information in step S580, and converts thestored contents data into contents data of before conversion andimmediately executes them in step S590.

[0136] When the user selects a temporary pause, the user terminal 100automatically deletes restoration information excluding theadvertisements so as to prevent incursion by hackers. When the userexecutes a “play” instruction again, the user terminal receives therestoration information again, and executes the contents data from thepause point.

[0137] If detecting a copy instruction for hacking, or other kinds oftask instructions while executing the contents data, the user terminal100 stops all executions, deletes the restoration information, andimmediately terminates the operation in step S650.

[0138] When the execution of the contents data is finished, the userterminal 100 checks use information such as categories and number ofadvertisements viewed by the user while viewing the contents, whetherthe user pays the fee for using the contents, how many hours and timesthe user uses the contents in step S610, and when the contents arecompletely executed, the user terminal 100 terminates the contents-usingservice in step S620.

[0139] Next, the user terminal 100 transmits the use information checkedduring the above stage to the member and use information manager 170 ofthe Internet broadcasting station 200 in step S630.

[0140] When the user's use allowance is rejected in the previous stepS570, the member and use information manager 170 allows the user toenter the membership and use the corresponding service, it notifies theuser of the incorrect ID and password and to check them again, itdescribes settlement methods, or it issues a second warning message thatmatches the corresponding situation in step S600, and then it terminatesthe operation in step S650.

[0141] In the case of using computer game programs or business programs,when the use allowance step S570 is finished, the user terminal 100executes the contents data in step S590 to start a computer and videogame or a business program.

[0142] Next, the user terminal 100 combines the restoration informationreceived after checking the membership with the game program or thebusiness program to convert the modified or incomplete game program orbusiness program into a normal program and execute the same.

[0143] The user terminal 100 checks the use information in step S610 inthe identical manner of other contents when the game program or thebusiness program is finished, and the steps S620 and S630 are performed,and the above process is terminated in step S650.

[0144] However, in the case of a game program, the game may be finishedonce within a very short time period in the contents data execution stepS590, and accordingly, the time and the execution of the game may belinked together.

[0145] In other words, if the user easily finishes the game in a minute,the user is allowed to execute the game for a further several times forabout 30 minutes without performing the step S570 of use allowance, andif the user is playing a game when 30 minutes elapses, the use of thegame program is terminated in step S620 when the user finishes the game.

[0146] However, these items (e.g., use time, use number, etc.) may bedetermined or varied according to autonomous business policies of theInternet broadcasting station 200.

[0147] On the other hand, when desiring to receive new contents data inthe selection step S540, the user may access the Internet broadcastingstation's homepage to select desired contents data from among variouscontents data in step S660 and freely download them.

[0148] In this instance, when the user clicks the desired contents'name, the user terminal 100 receives a description of the correspondingcontents from the contents introducer 185 in step S670, and introducesthe contents to the user so that the user may adequately select desiredcontents.

[0149] The user then selects again in step S665 whether to only downloadthe contents data or to download the contents and view themconcurrently.

[0150] An operation of downloading only will now be described.

[0151] The user clicks the name of the desired contents data twice, andthe contents data converter 184 loads corresponding contents from thecontents data database 197 and downloads them to the user terminal 100in step S680.

[0152] Also, while the user terminal 100 downloads the contents data,the advertisement data manager 160 transmits advertisement data to theuser terminal 100 as restoration information in step S670, and the userterminal 100 executes them to display a moving picture advertisement ona screen in step S690.

[0153] In this instance, the number and categories of advertising areestablished according to the Internet broadcasting station's businesspolicies.

[0154] When the downloading is finished in step S700, the user terminal100 transmits to the member and use information manager 170 informationsuch as the category and the number of the downloaded contents and theadvertisement data executed during the downloading in step S710, andterminates the downloading in step S650.

[0155] When attempting to use the contents while downloading the same inthe selection step S665, the user is initially required to receive a useallowance in step S720.

[0156] Here, the user inputs an ID and a password given to the user atthe time of membership entrance. When the user's membership isconfirmed, the user terminal 100 finds data on the restorationinformation corresponding to the contents data selected by the user fromthe contents introducer 185, and receives corresponding restorationinformation from the contents data management server 180 in step S722.

[0157] The user terminal 100 starts to receive the restorationinformation and asks a settlement method of the user to find whether theuser will pay the fee for using the service or if the user will view thecontents together with the advertisement, and in the case of paying thefee, whether the user will settle the same using a credit card or withanother settlement method.

[0158] In this instance, when the user selects to view the contentstogether with the advertisement, the user terminal 100 receives theadvertisement data as restoration information and stores the same in theHDD.

[0159] The restoration information comprises important portion data,numerical values, editing codes, advertisement data, and contentsdescription data. The remaining restoration information excluding theadvertisement data and the contents description data is preferablystored not in the HDD but temporarily in the RAM, and it is deletedimmediately after it is used. When the settlement is finished, the userterminal 100 receives restoration information in step S722, and uses theediting codes to virtually form a data file that has a time (frame) anda format identical with those of the actual contents data, and storethem in the HDD in step S723.

[0160] The user terminal 100 uses the editing codes to receive thecontents data selected by the user from the contents data managementserver 180 of the Internet broadcasting station 200 in the actual orderand section by section, and it edits them and arranges the same indisorder into a virtual moving picture file generated in the userterminals HDD in step S724.

[0161] When the contents data are stored to a certain extent, the userterminal 100 executes the contents data in step S725. That is, the userterminal 100 displays the advertisement, and adds an editing code, anumerical value, and important portion data to execute the contents dataas if they are an original program.

[0162] When the user temporarily pauses execution of the contents datawhile they are reproduced, the user terminal 100 deletes virtual filesand restoration information except advertisement data and contentsintroducing data so as to prevent attacks by hackers, if any.

[0163] When detecting a copy instruction or other kinds of taskinstructions for the purpose of reproduction and hacking while executingthe contents data, the user terminal 100 deletes restoration informationexcept contents introducing data and advertisement data, stops all thecurrent executions, and terminates the process in step S650.

[0164] When the execution of the contents data is almost finished, theuser terminal 100 checks in step S726 for all kinds of use informationsuch as categories and iteration number of advertisements viewed by theuser together with the use of the contents, whether the user uses thecontents after paying the fee, and how many hours the user uses them,and when the execution of the contents data is completely finished theuser terminal 100 terminates the use of the contents data in step S727and it transmits use information checked during the current operation tothe member and use information manager 170 of the Internet broadcastingstation 200 in step S728.

[0165] When the use allowance is rejected in the use allowance stepS720, the user terminal 100 displays the rejection reason about the use:allowance on the screen in a message format, generates a third warningmessage in step S721, and terminates the operation in step S650.

[0166] As shown in FIG. 4, the configuration of the restorationinformation described above comprises editing codes, numerical values,contents data, important data, and advertisement data, and theconfiguration may be added, deleted, or modified if necessary.

[0167]FIG. 5 shows an example for applying the Internet broadcastingstation to a configuration of a relay broadcasting system, and a methodfor performing relay broadcasting will now be described in detail.

[0168] When attempting to execute the specific execution program at theuser terminal 100 in the case of applying the relay broadcasting system,the user is initially required to register for a membership to the relaybroadcasting station 980 before installing the specific executionprogram.

[0169] When the user operates the installed specific execution program,the user terminal 100 accesses the relay broadcasting station 980 toreceive all contents data, be permitted to obtain a use allowance,receive restoration information, and settle the fee to the relaybroadcasting station to use all categories of contents. The Internetbroadcasting stations 910 to 930 may not necessarily possess their ownhomepage, but have a contents data storage unit and a restorationinformation data storage unit. The relay broadcasting station 980directly manages all users' member and use information, and the usersmay receive all categories of contents data provided by a plurality ofInternet broadcasting stations through a single homepage of the relaybroadcasting station, obtain a use allowance, and receive restorationinformation. The relay broadcasting station 980 receives settled usefees on the contents data from the users, keeps a predetermined portionas commission, and provides remaining portions to the respectiveInternet broadcasting stations 910 to 930 that provide the contents datadepending on the used amounts of contents data.

[0170] Also, when desiring to receive monthly membership fees from themany Internet broadcasting stations and the specific execution programusers instead of relaying the contents data, the relay broadcastingstation allows the Internet broadcasting stations all around the worldto use the method according to the present invention, provides technicalsupport, and in return receives a predetermined portion of sales as aroyalty.

[0171] Further, the relay broadcasting station may allow the Internetusers to use the specific execution program and receive a predeterminedportion of money each month as a program use fee (determined by therelay broadcasting station according to national incomes, such as 5dollars in the U.S., and 2000 won in Korea.)

[0172] To achieve this method, a relay broadcasting station is provided,and all the specific execution programs are configured to be executedwhen the user is registered to the relay broadcasting station andinstalls the execution program. Each time the execution program isexecuted, the user terminal 100 initially checks whether the user is aregistered member who accessed the relay broadcasting station on theInternet and has paid the membership fee or an unregistered member whohas not paid the membership fee, and allows the program to be executedfor the registered member.

[0173] In this instance, the Internet broadcasting stations 910 to 930comprise an Internet broadcasting contents consignment sale system ofFIG. 2 for providing the Internet broadcasting service according to thepresent invention.

[0174] The terminal in which the specific execution program is installedas shown in FIG. 3 comprises a wireless PDA 940, a wireless Internetmobile station 950, a wireless Internet multimedia terminal 960 forvehicles, a user terminal 970, an Internet set-top box A 973, and anInternet set-top box B 976.

[0175] The above-noted terminals are wire or wirelessly connected to therelay broadcasting station 980 on the Internet 900. The user terminal970 comprises desktop computers used for offices, homes, factories, andother places, notebook computers, and various kinds of servers. TheInternet set-top box A 973 may generate high-quality outputs throughoutput ends such as a VHS end, an S-VHS end, a DV end, and an HDTV end,and it may be used for general or commercial purpose so that the usersmay view various moving pictures or play video games or various computergames at home, in the office, or in a game room. The Internet set-topbox B 976 enables a premium, wider, and magnifiable screen so that itmay be combined with a professional big video projector for businesspurpose only, and it may display moving pictures such as movies or musicvideos in a small theater. When high-performance graphic cards andhigh-performance wide-screen projectors are released that are muchbetter than the conventional products, movies manufactured by filmmakersmay also be converted to contents data and transmitted on the Internetin the like manner of the Internet broadcasting stations, andaccordingly, theaters all over the world may receive them on theInternet, convert them into original contents data using the specificexecution program, and show them on the screen, thereby building a bigtheater system. Therefore, the film industry will no longer use filmpacks, and premium quality movies that do not deteriorate even afterrepeated use or a longer time has passed may be shown. The filmmakersare then not required to directly distribute the movies to the theatersthrough a complex distribution structure, and since the theaters and thefilmmakers together check movie screening numbers through computers,they may accurately and fairly share the profits.

[0176] For a further detailed description of the relay broadcastingsystem, the wire or wireless Internet users receive various categoriesof contents data from the Internet broadcasting stations A to C via theInternet or storing/recording media such as CDs or DVDs.

[0177] When the user attempts to use contents data, a specific on-lineexecution program that is developed and distributed by the relaybroadcasting station is required, and when the user desires to use theexecution program, the user needs to install it and register as a memberto the relay broadcasting station on-line so as to use the same nexttime.

[0178] When the users execute the specific execution program, the userterminal operates as follows.

[0179] When an Internet user receives desired contents data provided byvarious Internet broadcasting stations all over the world from thehomepage of the relay broadcasting station, and selects desired contentsdata from among them at the execution program, the user terminal reads atitle of the selected contents data and immediately accesses the memberand use information manager 982 through the web server 998 of the relaybroadcasting station 980 in a wire or wireless Internet manner.

[0180] The member and use information manager 982 searches the memberand use information database 985 to check whether the user is aregistered member who is authorized to use the execution program or anunregistered member, and settles the corresponding use fee. Next, theuser terminal accesses the contents manager 981 to find an address ofthe Internet broadcasting station that provides the contents dataselected by the user, and accesses the Internet broadcasting station'sserver to receive restoration information corresponding to the selectedcontents data.

[0181] When the user selects to view the contents data together withadvertisements without paying the fee, the relay broadcasting stationconcurrently reads the user's information from the member and useinformation database 985 to find customized advertisements that are themost appropriate for the user from the advertisement database 986, andtransmits several advertisements to the user terminal through theadvertisement provider 983 either once for all (from one to tenadvertisements) or slowly and with ample time while the user uses thecontents.

[0182] It is desirable to check the member information and transmissionspeed and transmit advertisement data of small data volume to a movingwireless Internet user and transmit those of big data volume to ahigh-speed wire Internet user.

[0183] In this instance, the user terminals 940, 950, 960, 970, and 973receive advertisement data, concurrently find the Internet broadcastingstation, access the Internet broadcasting station once the address isfound, receive supplementary data, and execute the contents data asshown in FIG. 3.

[0184] Since the commercial Internet set-top box B 976 provideshigh-quality images and sounds that are excellent in comparison to thoseprovided by the general product, it is desirable to receive a use feefrom the user and issue a use allowance each time.

[0185] It is more desirable to only receive a use fee except inadvertisement viewing when doing business using the Internet set-top boxA 973 in a video room or a game room.

[0186] The Internet broadcasting stations A, B, C, . . . do notduplicate the titles of the contents data when producing the contentsdata, and they register the address of the server that stores thecontents data and restoration information to the contents manager 981 ofthe relay broadcasting station and store the address in the contentsaddress and restoration information address database 984.

[0187] The users are required to either pay the use fee each time theuser uses the contents data, or view the advertisements of the relaybroadcasting station together with the contents data when the user doesnot desire to pay the fee. The use fee and the advertisements are variedaccording to the contents data and determination of the relaybroadcasting station.

[0188] The relay broadcasting station 980 stores programs forautomatically and massively producing specific contents data, thespecific execution program, and all kinds of information needed foropening the Internet broadcasting station according to the presentinvention on recording media such as CDs, and provides them to thegeneral Internet broadcasting stations free of charge, or providesthrough the Internet the above-noted specific contents-developing tooland all kinds of information required for it to general Internetbroadcasting stations all over the world.

[0189] By cooperation with terminal makers, such as makers of variouswireless Internet mobile stations, wireless Internet PDAs, and wirelessInternet multimedia terminals for vehicles, the relay broadcastingstation develops specific execution programs that may be installed inthe above-noted makers' terminals.

[0190] The relay broadcasting station also develops varied versions ofthe specific execution program for Internet users who use general IBM orMcIntosh platform computers, and distributes them to any users free ofcharge through the Internet broadcasting stations A, B, and C, variousportal sites shared file directories, recording media such as CDs andDVDs, or default installations in newly assembled computers of computerassembling companies.

[0191] The wireless Internet mobile stations or the wireless Internetmultimedia terminals (a transformed PC) installed in the vehicle requireRAM capacity of at least 23M to about 128M (recommended capacity) so asto access the Internet broadcasting station and fluently use variousmoving picture services, and they also require free data communicationwith general computers via cables in the like method of the wirelessInternet PDAs.

[0192] In the case of using relatively short moving picture data such asmusic videos of about 3 to 5 minutes running time, as opposed to longmoving pictures such as the movies, about 32M RAM may be sufficient.

[0193] In the case of using the Internet broadcasting system through amobile terminal, the user may freely use the service with a very low feeaccording to the current packet fee system.

[0194] When the user desires to use the contents data, it is requiredfor the user to receive restoration information through the wirelessInternet when the user has previously downloaded music videos or moviedata to a general computer and stored them in the memory of a terminalsuch as a PDA through a data transmission cable. Accordingly, the usermay use the contents data at a very low cost with a clear screen andgreat sound and without distortion or interruption in a fast movingtrain or a car, compared to the conventional streaming method whereinthe terminal is continuously connected to the Internet to receive alldata during the movie running time (about 90 to 120 minutes).

[0195] Also, even when the user directly receives the desired contentsdata through the mobile terminal and uses them, they may download alldata within a much shorter time compared to the actual movie runningtime, and accordingly the present invention requires less communicationtime when compared to the streaming technique. When the IMT2000 servicestarts, the user may receive data at 2M per second when the user isstationary, and hence, when assuming that the actual data transmissionspeed is about 1 M per second, that is, a half of the standardtransmission speed of 2M, the user may download the volume of a singlemovie (about 90 to 120 minutes of running time) in 3 to 7 minutes sincethe screen size of the moving picture data used by the wireless Internetmobile stations, PDAs, or multimedia terminals for vehicles is small andthe corresponding total data capacity is also small.

[0196] Therefore, the users may save on communication fees by reducingcommunication time, and they use the terminal less frequently so thatthe battery installed in the terminal is used less, so the terminal maybe used longer. Internet users may collect and keep desired contentsdata for respective categories and subjects of entertainment accordingto their interests, as they desire.

[0197] As described above, in the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, users may freely receive various desired contents such asmovies, music videos, dramas, comics, novels, photo albums, computergames, or video games according to their interests from an Internetbroadcasting station or through recording media such as CD-ROMs andDVD-ROMs distributed by the Internet broadcasting station free ofcharge, collect and keep them, and use them at any time.

[0198] Since the users execute most of the contents previouslydownloaded, the users may execute various contents with top image andsound qualities (e.g., DVD quality) and at any time without beinggreatly interfered with by interruptions caused by heavy Internettraffic.

[0199] In particular, the users may freely use the moving pictureservice such as for movies or music videos with good image and soundqualities in a fast moving train, a subway, or a car, using the wirelessInternet mobile station or PDA with a very much lower communication fee.The users may also receive various quality moving picture services suchas famous films, music videos, dramas, plays, and sitcoms with goodquality images and sound through the Internet in a fast running car onan expressway using the wireless Internet multimedia terminal installedin a car.

[0200] The contents data downloaded to the users, such as movies ornovels, are executed on the specific execution program, and the usersare required to initially access the Internet broadcasting stationthrough the execution program and obtain a use allowance so as to usethe contents data, and the Internet broadcasting station either receivesthe use fee from the user or sends customized advertisements to the userterminal for each issuing the use allowance, and accordingly, theInternet broadcasting station earns corresponding advertisement profits,completely manages and controls the users, and provides effectiveadvertising, thereby gaining much profit from the use fees andadvertisements.

[0201] Further, illegal program reproductions frequently occurring onthe Internet because of charging for contents may be prevented byproviding the users with a huge amount of diverse contents dataincluding movies and computer games free of charge, allowing the usersto collect and keep them according to their interests, allowing theusers to freely use them when viewing the contents together with theadvertisements provided at the start, the middle, and the end of thecontents data, and fully satisfying the users' possessiveness. (Somecontents require the users to pay a predetermined fee.)

[0202] Since the various contents data provided by the Internetbroadcasting station through a free downloading service are convertedaccording to a specific conversion method, when reproducing them andattempting to use them, the users need to connect the user terminal tothe Internet broadcasting station through the specific execution programand obtain a use allowance to use the contents data, and therefore theInternet broadcasting stations and the authors who have copyrights ofvarious contents may provide and distribute their programs to users onthe Internet, with no more fear of illegal reproduction. Rather, theymay hope that Internet users all around the world reproduce theirprograms through legal or even unauthorized reproduction processes,collect desired ones, keep them, and use them everyday.

[0203] When using the conventional streaming method to view the movingpictures through a mobile station, it is required for the user tooperate the mobile station and be connected to the wireless Internet fortwo hours to view a movie with a 2-hour running time, but the presentinvention enables the user to previously receive desired data in ashorter time frame, store the same, and then view the movie, andaccordingly the user may greatly reduce the time for using the wirelessInternet and the time for using a battery of the terminal, therebyallowing a longer using time than with the conventional streamingmethod.

[0204] If the IMT200 standard supports a data transmission speed ofabout 2M per second as announced, the user may store most kinds of datain the user terminal (wireless Internet mobile station or PDA) in 3 to 7minutes after connecting to the wireless Internet.

[0205] Hence, even when the fee system for the Internet mobile terminal(e.g., an IMT2000 terminal) is changed to that of the general mobileterminal, the use fee is greatly reduced, and further, the user may usethe contents only if the user receives restoration information andsupplements it when the user has previously received most of thecontents data, and accordingly, the user may use high-quality movingpicture services in a fast moving train or a subway as desired.

[0206] While this invention has been described in connection with whatis presently considered to be the most practical and preferredembodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited tothe disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to covervarious modifications and equivalent arrangements included within thespirit and scope of the appended claims.

1. A network-broadcasting contents consignment sale system connected to authors for receiving a plurality of authored pieces, and providing the authored pieces to a user terminal, comprising: a contents data management server for converting a contents data structure of the authored pieces into a predetermined format, transmitting converted data to the user terminal, and generating restoration information for restoring the converted data structure; a data storage unit for storing restoration information for restoring the converted contents data; and a free-of-charge contents provider for providing the converted contents data to the user terminal through a network or a free-of-charge distributor, and wherein the contents data management server transmits the restoration information stored in the data storage unit to the user terminal when the user terminal accesses the contents data management server so that the contents data stored in the user terminal are restored to original contents data and are executed.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the restoration information is temporarily provided on the network, and the restoration information is established to be temporarily stored in a memory or a storage device of the user terminal to perform predetermined tasks, and then be immediately and automatically deleted from the memory including a RAM or the storage device including a HDD.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the contents data management server comprises: an important data manager for separating a portion of data from the contents data; a contents data converter for dividing the contents data into a plurality of portions, and arranging the portions in a predetermined order different from the original order to convert the data structure; an editing code manager for generating editing codes including information for restoring the contents data structure that is arranged by the contents data converter in the order different from the original order back into the contents data structure of the original order; a numerical value manager for converting predetermined data values of the contents data; and a contents introducer for introducing the contents, and providing restoration information matched with the contents data.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the data storage unit comprises: an important data database for storing the portion of the contents data separated by the important data manager; an editing code database for storing the editing codes; a numerical value database for storing the numerical values; a contents data database for storing the converted contents data; and a contents database for storing documents for introducing the contents data and restoration information matched with the contents data.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the contents data provided to the user terminal are selected from the group consisting of picture products for television broadcasting audio products for radio broadcasting publications and computer and video games for use with the user terminal.
 6. In a network-broadcasting contents consignment sale system for transmitting a plurality of contents data to a user terminal connected on the network, recording the contents data on recording media distributing the contents data free of charge, and controlling users' using the contents data to obtain predetermined use fees from the users, a network-broadcasting contents consignment sale method, comprising the steps of: converting the contents data's structure, separately generating restoration information, and storing the restoration information for executing the converted contents data; transmitting the contents data having the converted data structure to the user terminal via the network or recording the contents data on various recording media and distributing them to the user free of charge, when a transmission request on the contents data is input from the user terminal; and transmitting, when a use allowance request for the contents data is input from the user terminal, and the use fee of the contents data is settled or the user is found to previously have paid a predetermined membership fee, restoration information that corresponds to the contents data on which the user allowance request is input, to the user terminal.
 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of: transmitting advertisement data and the restoration information to the user terminal, and operating the user terminal to execute the contents and the advertisements, when the user selects to view the contents and the advertisements without paying the use fee of the contents data.
 8. The method of claim 6, wherein the method for converting the moving picture contents data comprises the steps of: dividing the moving picture data into a plurality of portions; arranging the separated data in a predetermined order that is different from the original order to generate converted contents data; generating an editing code including information for converting the differently arranged order into the original order; and separating a predetermined portion from the converted contents data to generate important data.
 9. The method of claim 6, wherein the method for converting the moving picture contents data comprises the steps of separating a predetermined portion from the moving picture data to generate important data, and generating the remained portion as the converted contents data.
 10. The method of claim 6, wherein the method for converting the moving picture contents data comprises the steps of: dividing the moving picture data into a plurality of portions; arranging the separated data in a predetermined order that is different from the original order to generate converted contents data; and generating an editing code including information for converting the differently arranged order into the original order.
 11. The method of claim 6, wherein the method for converting the program contents data comprises the steps of: separating a portion from the program to generate important data that are an essential portion of the program for executing personal task programs, business programs, and computer and video game programs; and substituting other numerical values for predetermined data values of the program to generate converted contents data, and generating numerical values for converting the substituted values into original numerical values.
 12. The method of claim 6, wherein the method for converting the program contents data comprises the steps of: separating a portion from the program to generate important data that are an essential portion of the program for executing personal task programs, business programs, and computer and video game programs; and generating the remaining portion of the program as the converted contents data.
 13. The method of claim 6, wherein the method for converting the program contents data comprises the steps of: converting predetermined data of the personal task programs, business programs, and computer and video game programs into converted contents data, and generating numerical values for converting the converted numerical values into the original numerical values.
 14. The method of claim 8 comprising the step of converting a data file format of the converted contents data again to generate an independent format.
 15. The method of claim 8 comprising in the case of dividing the contents into a plurality of portions the step of establishing a number of divisions of the contents, intervals of the divided contents, a data volume of the separated important data, a number of the important data, a number of the numerical values, and respective data values differently for each contents data without a predetermined rule.
 16. In a network-broadcasting contents consignment sale system connected to a plurality of authors, for receiving a plurality of authored pieces, and providing the authored pieces to a user terminal, a contents sale system of relay broadcasting or network broadcasting, comprising: a contents data management server for converting a data structure of the authored pieces into predetermined data to transmit the converted data to the user terminal, and generating restoration information for restoring the structure of the converted contents data into a structure of before conversion; a data storage unit for storing restoration information for restoring the structure of the converted contents data, and restoration information that corresponds to the contents data provided by a contents provider to the users; a free-of-charge contents provider for providing the converted contents data to the user terminal through the network or a free-of-charge distributor; and, a contents provider system for generating restoration information, storing the restoration information in the data storage unit, and providing the converted contents data that correspond to the restoration information to the user terminal through the network or a free-of-charge distributor.
 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the contents provider system is comprises: a contents data manager for converting the data structure of the authored pieces, and transmitting the converted contents data to the user terminal; a contents database for storing the converted contents data; and a use fee and advertisement profit manager for managing how much profit the contents provider gains.
 18. The system of claim 16, wherein the network-broadcasting contents sale system and the contents provider comprise a CD/DVD producer for storing contents data on various recording media.
 19. A network-broadcasting contents consignment sale method for unifying a plurality of network broadcasting stations into a single body, applying the network broadcasting stations to a contents data management server and a data storage unit for producing contents data, storing the contents data, and transmitting the same to user terminals, wherein a relay broadcasting station comprises a contents introducer and a contents database for storing the contents data provided by the network broadcasting stations, and the relay broadcasting station receives membership entrance from the users, performs membership and use management, receives predetermined membership fees or use fees from the users to issue use allowances on various contents to the users so that the users may receive the contents data and corresponding restoration information from the network broadcasting stations through the relay broadcasting station (or a homepage thereof) and use them.
 20. The method of claim 19, wherein: a user registers for membership entrance to the relay broadcasting station so as to use and install a specific execution program; when the user operates the specific execution program a user terminal initially accesses the relay broadcasting station on the network to check whether the user is a registered member who has previously paid the membership fee; the user terminal receives a use allowance on the specific execution program to allow the user who is a registered member to access the network broadcasting station; the relay broadcasting station manages membership of the users who use the specific execution program; and the relay broadcasting station each month receives a predetermined amount of money from the network broadcasting stations as broadcasting technical commissions, receives a predetermined amount of use fees from the users (members) each month to issue program use allowances on the network, or receives broadcasting technical commissions and program use fees from the network broadcasting stations and the users.
 21. The method of claim 19, wherein when the relay broadcasting station, the network-broadcasting contents consignment sale system, the contents provider, and the network broadcasting stations perform charged contents business, the users are allowed to reproduce desired contents so that the users may reproduce the contents data by freely transmitting and receiving the contents data on the network and reproduce them through various recording media to share them with each other, and accordingly, the users are allowed to freely collect and keep their desired contents data according to their interests and tendencies, and the users are allowed to receive a use allowance on the network each time the users use the contents so that the users may view the contents by paying a predetermined use fee or a membership fee or they may view the contents together with advertisements.
 22. A network-broadcasting contents consignment sale method for transmitting a plurality of contents data to user terminals connected on a network, recording the contents data on recording media to distribute them free of charge, issuing a use allowance when a user uses the contents data through a wireless network, and receiving a predetermined use fee or a membership fee, comprising the steps of: converting the structure of the contents data, and separating, generating, and storing restoration information for executing the converted contents data; transmitting the contents data having the converted data structure to the user terminal through the network, or recording the contents data on various recording media and distributing them to the users free of charge, when a transmission request on the converted contents data is input from the user terminal; receiving the contents data at the user terminal through the network or the recording media, and transmitting the contents data to a mobile station by connecting a data transmission cable or through various data transmitters; and transmitting restoration information that corresponds to the contents data to which the use allowance request is input to the mobile station to execute the contents data at the mobile station, when a use allowance request on the contents data is input from the mobile station.
 23. A network-broadcasting contents consignment sale method comprising: converting various contents produced by service providers including network broadcasting stations, video and computer game service providers, and filmmakers into contents data and restoration information, and storing them in a data storage unit; reading the data storage unit and transmitting the converted contents data to a network set-top box through the network when the network set-top box accesses a contents data management server of the service providers and requests the converted contents data; transmitting the restoration information to the network set-top box to execute the converted contents data at the network set-top box when the network set-top box accesses the contents data management server so as to execute, in a presentation place, the converted contents data transmitted to the network set-top box; and the service providers checking the contents data executed at the network set-top box to receive from the presentation place predetermined use fees according to categories and number of executions of the contents.
 24. The method of claim 6, wherein the recording media comprise at least one of CD-ROMs and DVD-ROMs.
 25. The method of claim 21, wherein the recording media comprise at least one of CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, and storage devices. 